338 



VIOLACEiE. 



[Hypogynous Exogens. 



Order CXVI. VIOLACEiE.— Violetworts. 



Violariese, DC. Fl. Fr. 4. 801. (1805) ; Jiiss. Ann. Mm. 18. 476. (1811) ; DC. Prodr. 1. 287. (1824^; 

 Bartl. Ord. Nat. 283. (1830); Endl. Gen. cxc. ; Meismr Gen.^Q; Wight Illustr. 1. 142.— Violaceae, 

 Lindl.Synops.35. (1829.) 



Diagnosis. — Violal Exogens, with polypetalous flowers, a many-leaved calyx, hypogynous 



petals, stamens all perfect, anthers crested and turned inwards, consolidated fruit, 



and albuminous seeds. 



Herbaceous plants or slu'ubs. Leaves simple, usually alternate, sometimes opposite, 



stipulate, vnth an involute vernation. Inflorescence various. Sepals 5, persistent, with 



Fig. CCXXX. 



an imbricate aestiva- 

 tion, usually elongat- 

 ed at the base. Petals 

 5, hypogynous, equal 

 or unequal, usually 

 withering, and with 

 an obHquely convo- 

 lute aestivation. Sta- 

 mens 5, alternate 

 Fig. CCXXXII. ^vith the petals, oc- 



casionally opposite them, inserted on a hypogynous 

 disk, often miequal ; anthers 2-celled, biu'sting 

 inwards, either separate or cohering, and lying 

 close upon the ovai'y ; filaments dilated, lengthened 

 beyond the anthers ; two, in the irregular flowers, 

 generally fiu'nished with an appendage or gland at 

 theh* base. Ovary 1 -celled, many-seeded, or rarely 

 1 -seeded, with 3 parietal placentae opposite the 

 3 outer sepals ; style single, usually declinate, with an obhque hooded stigma ; ovules 

 anatropal. Capsule of 3 valves, bearing the placentae in their axis. Seeds 00, or defi- 

 nite, roundish or wmged, often with a tumom* at their base ; embryo straight, erect, in 

 the axis of fleshy albvunen. 



The Violetworts are distinctly defijied by theu' definite stamens, whose anthers turn 

 inwards, and extend theii* connective into a crest ; but the u'regularity of their flowers. 



Fig. CCXXX.— CorjTiostylis Hybanthus. 1. a set of stamens, each having the connective lengthened 

 beyond the anther, in the form of a scale ; 2. a spurred petal ; 3. a transverse section of an ovary, show- 

 ing the three parietal placentae ; 4. a ripe fruit ; 6. an embryo. 



Fig. CCXXXI.— Side view of the flower of Viola tricolor. Fig. CCXXXII.— Its fruit. 



Fig. CCXXXI. 



